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Will Prince Harry Ever Be King? Everything We Know About the Royal Line of Succession
Being a member of the royal family doesn’t mean that you’re guaranteed to become king, even if you’re King Charles’ son like Prince Harry. Keep scrolling to find out if Harry will ever become the King of England, find out who is next in line and more.
Will Prince Harry Ever Become King?
Harry will likely never take the throne because he is the second child born to Charles and Princess Diana.
Who Is Next in Line to Take the Throne?
According to the line of succession determined by Buckingham Palace, Charles and Diana’s first born son, Prince William, is next in line to take the throne.
Following William’s reign, his eldest son with Princess Kate, Prince George, is next in line to become king.
The couple’s daughter, Princess Charlotte, and their son Prince Louis follow George in the line of succession.
Harry will only be eligible to become king after his nephews and niece, so the likelihood of him ever taking the throne seems slim.
When Did Prince Harry Step Away From His Royal Duties?
In January 2020, the Duke of Sussex and his wife, Meghan Markle, announced they had taken a step back from their royal duties and became “financially independent.”
“After many months of reflection and internal discussions, we have chosen to make a transition this year in starting to carve out a progressive new role within this institution,” the couple wrote via Instagram at the time. “We intend to step back as ‘senior’ members of the Royal Family and work to become financially independent, while continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen.”
Harry and Meghan continued, “It is with your encouragement, particularly over the last few years, that we feel prepared to make this adjustment. We now plan to balance our time between the United Kingdom and North America, continuing to honor our duty to The Queen, the Commonwealth and our patronages. This geographic balance will enable us to raise our son with an appreciation for the royal tradition into which he was born, while also providing our family with the space to focus on the next chapter, including the launch of our new charitable entity.”
How Does Prince Harry Feel About Not Becoming King?
He doesn’t seem to mind that he won’t ever become king.
“Is there any one of the royal family who wants to be king or queen? I don’t think so, but we will carry out our duties at the right time,” Harry told Newsweek in 2017.
He also reflected on not being at the front of the line for the throne in his 2023 memoir, Spare.
After noting he has always known that title would go to William, Harry admitted he didn’t feel the need to worry about the situation.
“Who had the time to worry about things so unchangeable?” he wrote in the memoir. “Who could bother with being bothered by a fate etched in stone?”
